Wire-fence tool.



J. C. MAHAN.

WIRE FENCE TOOL.

.APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18, 1912.

1,143,414. PatentedJune 15, 1915.

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WNW Leona THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOTCLITHO WASHINGTUN. D, C

J. C. MAHAN.

WIRE FENCE TOOL.

APPL|CATION FILED IUNE 1B, 1912.

Patented June 15, 1915.

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JAMES C. MAHAN, or LINCOLN, lvnnnasica.

. WIRE-FENCE TOOL.

Liasaia.

To all whom itmay concern: 7

Be it known that I, JAMEs C. MAHAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Lincoln, in the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska,have invented new and useful Improvements in Wire-Fence Tools, of whichthe following is a specification.

. The present invention relates to improvements in tools employed inerecting Wire fences;

In carrying out my invention I propose to provide a tool, in the natureof a pair of pliers which is provided with, simple but effective meansfor stretching a wire around post, for cutting the wire or for formingloops upon the wire.

I further aim to provide a tool of this class with a rotatable headwhich is provided with means for grasping awire and which, uponthemovement of the handles and jaws of the device will rotate the saidhead to twist the wire upon the head either to stretch the wire or toform a loop upon the wire. 7

I further aim to provide an instrument of this class having a head madeup of a pair of sections, one being of a greater size than the other,and whereby the said sections may be readily removed from between thejaws of the pliers to receive the wire and may be easily and quicklyreinserted between the jaws, the said head being formed with teeth,-

and one or both of the jaws of the pliers being provided with lugs orprojections which are adapted to co-a-ct with the teeth of the head whenthe jaws are opened and closed, so as to rotate the said head, step bystep, to operate upon the wire. v

lVith the above recited objects in view, and those which will appear asthe nature of the invention is disclosed, the invention resides in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts set forth in thespecification and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of an implementconstructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is asimilar view of the pliers portion, the head being removed. Fig. 8 is aperspective view of one of the members of the head. 7

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the second member of the head. Fig. 5 is atransverse sectional view taken centrally of the head when the memberscomprising the said with teeth 8.

Patenteddune 15, 1915.

Application filed June 18, 1912. Serial No.764,3'=5.

head, are assembled. Fig. 6 is a similar sectional view taken throughthe upper portion of the head or that through which the wire is passed.Fig. 7 is a view illustrating the method of operating the implement inconnection with a post. Fig. "'8 is aview of one of the wire loopsformed by the implement.

. Referring to the drawings in detail the numeral 1 designates myimproved implement. The device contemplates primarily the employment ofa wrench of plier-lilre structure, the same embodying a pair of handles2 and 3 havin reduced rounded portions which are pivotally cennecte'dtdgether as at i and which areeXtended to provide the oppositely arrangedjaws 6 and ,7, having their co-acting faces inwardly curved, and theportions of the jaws adjacent said curved inner edges are provided Therounded reduced portionsthrough w iich passes the pivot & are providedwith slots or depressions 9 and 10 which have their edges sharpened andwhich are adapted to serve as wire cutting elements, as will be readilyunderstood. The teeth 8 are adapted to serve as wire gripping surfaces,and both the handles 2 and 3 adjacent said pivotedportions are alsoprovided with teeth 11 and 1.2 which likewise serve as wire grippingmembers. Connected with the handles 2 and 3 is a suitable spring 13which is adapted to bring the jaws 6 and 7 together for the closingthereof. One or both of the aws adjacent their inner curved edges areprovided upon their faces with lugs 14, the purpose of which willpresently be set forth.

The numeral 15 designates what I term the head, for the jaws. This headembodies a pair of members designated respectively, by the numerals 16and 17. The member 16 is rounded in cross section and preferably is inthe form of three-fourths of a circle. This member is provided with arounded bore 18 and the faces or edges of the said member communicatingwith the bore, are inclined from their outer edges toward the said bore18, as indicated by'the numerals 19. The member 16 is provided on theoutside with a centrally reduced portion to receive the plier jaws andhas its oppositeends or faces formed with a plurality of teeth 20 and21. One of the inclined edges 19 is provided with a spring 22, thepurpose of which will presently be set forth. The member 17 is crosssectional or a quarter of a circle and the said member is provided witha bore 28 which is adapted to register with the bore 18 of the member 16when the sections are assembled. The member 17 is centrally reduced andformed at opposite ends with teeth 24-, and is fur- 1 7 andcommunicating with both the bore 23 and the opening 25,

The member 16, ad acent its inclined edges or faces 19 is furtherprovidedwith depressedportions 27, the latter extending V the fulllength of the bore 18, and the'memher 17 'is provided with what may betermed ribs 28, which are arranged acent its inclined edges 29 and whichare adapted to be received within the depressions 27, While the saidinclined faces 29 are adapted to contact with the inclined faces 19of-the memhere 16, when the members are assembled. Gne of the inclinedfaces 9-9 of the member 17 is provided with a depression 30, the latteradapted to receive the upper oili's'et portion of the spring 22 to lockthe members 16 and 17 together;

- By constructing the head and sections s' above described, it will bereadily noted that the said sections may be easily inserted between, thejaws 6 and 7 of the wrench or pliers. Furthermore, the sections may bereadily separated and a wire may be passed through the bore provided bythe said sections and passed through either the opening 25 or theopening 26 of the section 17 of the head, which after being replacedwithin the jaws of the wrench or pliers may be brought around a post asillustrated in Fig. 7 of the drawings, or coiled to provide a loop. Itwill be noted that there is always a tension upon the wire 31 whichtension is sufiicient to lrold the head, irrespective of the movement ofthe handles 2 and 3 of the pliers. By revolving the pliers, the lugs 1ibeing in engagement with the teeth of the head will likewise rotate thesaid head. When the pliers have been rotated a suitable or convenientdistance, the handles thereof may be swung away from each other to openthe aws, the head in the meantime being re-' ta'ined under the, tensionof the wire, and thus permitting the tool to be returned to its initialor to a more convenient position. l Vhen the jaws have been brought totheir closedposition they will be arranged so that their lugs 14 willengage additional teeth provided upon the head, so that the pliersCopies of this patent may' be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing Washington, D. 6.

in presence of two tages will be fully understood by those skilled inthe art to which such inventions appertain, without further detaileddescription. 7

.Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is:

1. In device for the purpose set forth, a pair of members pivotallyconnected together and including handles and jaws, a spring between thehandles for normally holding the jaws close to each other, the said jawsbeing provided with lugs, an in. dependent head member'arranged betweenthe jaws, saidhead member comprising a pair offsections, one of'agreater cross sectional area than the other section, spring means forconnecting the "section's, both of the section's being provided with awire-receiving'bore, one of the sections having gularly arranged wirepassages, the face of the head being providedwith teeth, and the saidteeth adapted to c'o-act with the lugs provided on the jaws of; thefirst-named member.

2. In a device for the purpose set forth, a tool havlng its awsp-rov1ded with lugs, an

independent and removable head between the aws, saidhead embodyinga pairof sections which when matched form a tubular member, one section beingof a greater crosssectronal area than the other, the meeting faces ofboth "of the sectlons being inclined,

both of the sections'being provided with.

rounded bores, one of the sections having its bore formed ad acent 1tsinclined faces formed with depressions communicating with its bore, thesecond section being provided with ribs which are adapted to be receivedwithin the said depressions, one of the sections being provided with aspring latch, the second sectionfbeing provided with a depressionadapted to receive the latch, one of the sections having an angularlyarranged wire passage communicating with its bore, the head having itsfaces provided with teeth, and the said teeth adapted to co-act with thelugs upon the jaws of the tool, substantially as and for the purpose setforth. 7 V

In testimony whereof I aiiixmy signature witnesses.

JAMES C. MA'HAN.

Witnesses:

D. A. Farm, RUTH lVnLn-s;

the Commissioner of Patents,

